Power Surge

Our bodies are energy systems. With attention to nutrition, exercise, and attitude, we improve the possibility of having good health. Even so, now and then life circumstances overwhelm us. I thought about this a few days ago after I witnessed an electrical transformer on a telephone pole explode with a boom, sending a ball of fire skyward. The explosion, created by a power surge, caused mineral oil which cools the transformer to drip to the ground where it promptly caught the dry winter grass on fire.

This fiery event parallels what happens when we humans become overtaxed physically or emotionally. Just like the current running through electrical wires, our systems surge and break down. Some sort of attention getting “explosion” occurs, be it injury, pain, anger, or depression. By paying attention to what leads up to our break down, we can become more powerful at using our power surges for personal transformation. We do this by learning to identify the patterns and triggers that overload our systems and by making a few skillful adjustments to change the outcome.

Even well maintained transformers might surge and blow, reminding us to be gentle with ourselves when we do hit overload. One attitude that can help us is that of using all that happens to us as a learning experience. Life is full of ups and downs, joys and sorrows, blessings and sufferings. When we remember this, we can transform our own lives by becoming less invested in things happening the way we think they should and more curious about what is unfolding for us right now.